audio: swap MOST system for aftermarket (MY03)?

[vr986]

Getting ready to buy a 2003 and know already will want to upgrade the stereo. Willing to go aftermarket (esp. with such goodies as iPod integration, bluetooth, and MP3 disc playback available; aware that Alpine and Nakamichi are common choices).

Have mined tons of forums like this one, spoken to a dealer and to a high-end car audio shop (in San Francisco), but have yet to come up with a definitive answer: will swapping out the entire audio system (CDR-23 head unit, and the stock amp in the front trunk if there is one) disable the factory alarm, or any other feature? (I'm not worried about the speakers for now.)

I understand the 2003's on up use the optical/MOST system for the stereo. It's just not clear if there's any other interaction tied in to this system.

Thanks in advance!

[Cloudsurfer]

I'm not positive on this, but I know someone who wanted to do a full audio install in an 03 996 (same MOST system) and I believe what it came down was that the only way you can install an aftermarket system into a MOST car is to essentially leave the factory head unit and perhaps even the amplifier hooked up as otherwise it really pisses off the immobilizer.

ABSOLUTELY make certain you find an audio shop that has done installs on MOST enabled cars before you start hacking away on this one. That said, there are incredible gains to be had, audio wise, in these cars by getting rid of the Bose crap.

Patrick

[vr986]

Thanks -- yeah, that's the nightmare I'm afraid of (having the leave the existing system in place solely to avoid messing with the alarm).

What Porsche was thinking, I can't even imagine, since upgrading even with Porsche equipment is either nearly impossible or ridiculously expensive.

Yet, I'd still like to get a 2003 (base), for the sake of the suspension (same as 2002 S), the glass window, the padded headliner, the glove box, and the 8 extra horses (to carry that extra stuff around). And yes, I'm aware of aftermarket glass-embedded tops for 2002's and earlier. And yes, I could just consider a 2002 S to go along with that aftermarket top, but I don't actually want *that* much extra power -- this is going to be a daily driver, so small gain in MPG is significant.

Sigh....